FORTUNE's annual ranking of America's leading businesswomen

In May she completed her biggest move yet with the $6.4 billion acquisition of Danish food ingredient producer Danisco, shifting the chemical company more toward food and nutrition.
Analysts credit her with DuPontís turnaround in the stock market: Shares have returned 99%, vs. 37% for the S&P, since she took over in 2009.

The list is compiled by FORTUNE editors, who consider four criteria: the size and importance of the womanís business in the global economy, the health and direction of the
business, the arc of the womanís career (resume and runway ahead), and societal and cultural influence.